RALEIGH -- Health officials say HIV rates across the state are alarming, and a new report shows the number of new HIV infections have been underestimated by 40 percent across the United States.

John Paul Womble knows that HIV affects anyone. Not only does he work for the Alliance for AIDS Services, he’s been living with the disease for 15 years now.

“I didn't think I would be alive at 40 still preaching this message, because I thought that one night certainly wouldn't be anything then the next morning, turns out that I get sick and go to the doctor and find out that I'm HIV positive,” he explained.

There are 31,000 North Carolina residents living with HIV. “In North Carolina in 2006 we had over 2,000 new people diagnosed with this disease,” added Evelyn Foust, communicable disease director.

Reports from U.S. health officials show the number of new HIV infections is dramatically underestimated. But it’s not because of a dramatic worsening of the epidemic. Officials say they simply have new and improved ways of determining who has HIV.

The latest report for North Carolina shows 1,679 residents in Forsyth County are HIV infected. In Durham the number is closer to 2,000. It’s more than 2,400 in Guilford County, totals 3,226 in Wake County and 5,824 in Mecklenburg County.

Health-based organizations say if you’re sexually active you need to get tested.

“We are seeing higher numbers that are affecting women for a number of reasons,” said Carlotta McNeill, director of prevention education. “One could be poverty, some women may exchange sex for life, abusive relationship, or their partner may be creeping out.”

As the numbers continue to increase, Womble says he has to continue to spread the message.

“HIV is here, in Raleigh, North Carolina, in Durham, North Carolina, in Chapel Hill, in Charlotte, in Winston Salem, in High Point, in Burlington, in Little Washington, HIV is present and alive and well here in North Carolina and if you're alive in 2008 in the state of North Carolina you're at risk for HIV, can we just stop there.”

Officials say up to 27 percent of those infected with HIV don’t know it. In N.C. you can get an AIDS test at any county’s health department.